Straw hat



April 59 s. G. HOFFMAN 2,882,181

STRAW HAT Filed Nov. 25, 1955 LACQUER PIGMENTED TO MATCH DYED BODY DYED BODY INVENTOR. Sign Zq v G. Hof'f'ma/z MA k cwl A TTORNEYS United States Patent Y O M STRAW HAT Stanley G. Hoffman, Norwalk, -Conn., assignor to Hat Corporation of America, Nor-walk, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application November 25, 1955, Serial No. 561,699 Claims. (Cl. 117-56) The present invention relates to an improvement in straw hats, particularly of the woven fiber type.

Heretofore, it has been the practice to dye straw hats, i.e., woven fibrous hats, such as Panama, Milan and chip straw and to apply thereto a clear, thin sizing lacquer which does not fill the interstices in the hat but which coats the fibers. The difiiculty with such hats has been that imperfections in the straw, even when dyed, appeared on the surface of the hat and detracted from its highly desired uniform appearance.

Also, in imitation or low grade straw hats, a paint has been applied to the surface to completely cover the straw. This resulted in a stiff, tinny or boardy feel and the complete covering of the straw also closed the interstices and made the hat hot to wear.

The present invention overcomes these difiiculties by providing a lacquer size for dyed straw hats with an additive including a pigment to match the dyed straw body, and to apply the size either during the first or last sizing operation. It has been found that the small amount of additive in the lacquer does not close the interstices in the hat whereby a cool hat results, provides a coating on the straw which covers up the bruises or other blemishes in the straw, and provides a uniform appearance.

Another feature of the invention resides in the fact that hats made with the pigmented lacquer size are provided with a 30 to 40% increased resistance to fading, substantially eliminates water spotting and provides a smooth feeling hat which is resistant to scorching in the manufacture and also better retains its shape, all to the end that a better hat is provided. Other features and advantanges will hereinafter appear. In the accompanying drawing, the figure shows a hat of the present invention partly in section.

In accordance with the present invention a straw hat which is usually woven from vegetable straw so as to form Panama, Milan or chip straw 'hats is dyed with a suitable dye to provide the desired color. The hat is then treated by spraying or dipping with a lacquer size and is partially shaped and given a second size, after which it is given its final shape in heated molds. This lacquer size may be either of a nitrocellulose base or of a base made from copolymers of polyvinyl chloride and polyvinyl acetate mixed with suitable thinners or solvents, for example, butanone, butyl acetate, ethyl acetate, acetone or the like. In either of these sizes, a pigmented compatible additive can be provided in which the pigment matches the dyed hat body. The pigments can be any suitable pigment such as carbon black, red iron oxide, yellow iron oxide, titanium dioxide or the like as required.

Examples of these sizes and additives follow.

When the sizing solution comprises the vinyl copolymers, it is made up as follows:

1 part lacquer (16% vinyl copolymer, 84% butanone) 2 parts thinner-butanone -Ice Patented Apr. 14,* 1 959 The additive for this size is made up of:

1 part pigment 1 part vinyl copolymers 1 part butanone 1 part lacquer (16% nitrocellulose, 84%

butyl acetate) 4 parts thinner-butyl acetate and the additive used is as follows:

1 part pigment 1 part nitrocellulose 1 part butyl acetate Here again, the additive is supplied to the sizing solution at the rate of one to six ounces per gallon of solution.

The amount of additive varies with the type of straw hat which is being treated. I have found the preferred quantities to be two ounces of additive when Panama hats are treated, four ounces of additive when Milan hats are treated and five ounces when chip straw hats are treated.

In carrying out the invention, the hats, after being dyed, can be either treated to a first sizing of clear lacquer and a second sizing of pigmented lacquer or the reverse operations can be carried out by having the pigmented lacquer as the first sizing and the clear lacquer as the second sizing. In each case, the pigmented lacquer covers up the blemishes in the hat and provides a smooth, uniform appearance in the hat. The amount of additive is so small that it does not tend to clog up the interstices of the hat or to destroy the smooth feel of the hat. Furthermore, it provides a surface which greatly resists fading of the hat and eliminates water spotting heretofore encountered in dyed hats.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

l. A straw hat comprising a body of dyed straw having a thin lacquer size thereon provided with a pigment to match the dyed body whereby a uniform finish and color is provided on the hat.

2. A straw hat comprising a woven body of dyed straw fibers having a lacquer size thereon provided with a pigment to match the dyed body whereby a uniform finish and color is provided on the hat, said lacquer size being thin and covering only the fibers and leaving the interstices in the woven body exposed whereby air can pass therethrough to provide a cool hat.

3. The method of finishing a dyed straw hat comprising the steps of forming a thin lacquer size, adding an additive to the lacquer size at the rate of 1-6 ounces per gallon of size, said additive comprising equal parts of pgiment to'match the dyed straw, a lacquer base and thinner, and applying a thin coating of said size to the fibers of the straw hat to cover blemishes in the straw and provide a uniform appearance.

4. The method of finishing a dyed straw hat comprising the steps of forming a thin lacquer size comprising 1 part lacquer and 2 parts thinner, said lacquer comprising 16% vinyl copolymers and 84% thinner, adding an o additive to the lacquer size at the rate of 1-6 ounces per {16% solution) vand a thinner, and applying *a-thin coating of said size to the fibers of the straw hat to cover blemishes in the straw and provide a uniform appearance.

5. The method of finishing 'adyed .straw hattcomprising the steps of forming a thin lacquer size comprising 1 part lacquer and 4 parts thinner, said lacquer comprising 16% nitrocellulose and 84% thinner, adding an additive to the lacquer size vat the rate of 1-6 ounces per gallon of size, said additive comprising equal parts of pigment to match the dyed straw, nitrocellulose (16% solution) and a thinner, and applying .a thin coating of said size to the fibers of the straw hat to cover blemishes in the straw and provide a uniform appearance.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 273,074 Heath Feb. 27, 1883 1,930,232 Ellis Oct. 10, 1933 2,118,787 Clayton May 24, 1938 2,304,673 Bently Dec. 8, 1942 2,322,968 Rickus June 29, 1943 2,704g730 Glatt Mar. 22, 1955 

4. THE METHOD OF FINISHING A DYED STRAW HAT COMPRISING THE STEPS OF FORMING A THIN LACQUER SIZE COMPRISING 1 PART LACQUER AND 2 PARTS THINNER, SAID LACQUER COMPRISING 16% VINYL COPOLYMERS AND 84% THINNER, ADDING AN ADDITIVE TO THE LACQUER SIZE AT THE RATE OF 1-6 OUNCES PER GALLON OF SIZE, SAID ADDITIVE COMPRISING EQUAL PARTS OF PIGMENT TO MATCH THE DYED STRAW, VINYL COPOLYMERS (16% SOLUTION) AND A THINNER, AND APPLYING A THIN COATING OF SAID SIZE TO THE FIBERS OF THE STRAW HAT TO COVER BLEMISHES IN THE STRAW AND PROVIDE A UNIFORM APPEARANCE. 